Now showing: Revamped Main opens Thursday

The Ketchum family open the New Main Thursday evening. They are (left to right) Penn, Aimee, Marley and Kayla.

The first movies arrived Tuesday, employee training begins today, and the opening curtain drops Thursday night at the New Main theater.

“We’re ready to go,” said owner Penn Ketchum. “So far the local response has been incredible.”

Pre-order Thursday sales, something new at the theater, have been strong for the opening 7 p.m. show of Cars 3 followed by The Mummy, the new Tom Cruise flick, beginning at 7:45 p.m.

The theater is running an early 5 p.m. promotion of Cars 3 featuring Maple Grove Raceway car driver, Andy Anderson, who’ll be on-site with his race car for pictures and autographs in front of the New Main.

There will also be activities for kids, door prizes and give-a-ways. The first 150 children under the age of 13 will receive free popcorn in a commemorative New Main traffic cone.

“We’ve sold about half the house for Cars 3 and expect a sell out Thursday in the 90-seat theater,” Penn said.

Penn and Amiee Ketchum, who officially acquired the Ephrata Main Theatre June 4, immediately performed their promise to install 90 new high-back leather “rockers” in each of the theater’s two auditoriums.

The public response to the new seats was swift, direct, and almost universally positive on social media.

The New Main’s Facebook page received nearly 1,500 likes in less than two weeks.

Karen Myers Stauffer expressed a popular concern that the new seats would clash with the theater’s historic charm and art deco appeal.

However, she endorsed the new seats after viewing on-line photos of the New Main.

“I’m pleasantly surprised at how (the seats) blend in and don’t take away from the historic atmosphere as much as I thought they might,” she wrote.

Penn, who is managing partner in two Penn Cinema theaters in Lititz and Wilmington, Del., said the Ephrata theater would operate independently of the others.

Penn took over theater operations from Steve and Karen Brown, who have operated the theater since January 2010. The Browns will continue to operate Lily’s on Main restaurant which is adjacent to the theater located in Brossman Business Center, 124 E. Main St.

The new ticket prices are only slightly higher than the former theater.

Prices are $9.50 for a regular evening movie. All other tickets are $8 including matinee, senior, children, and active duty military w ID.

Customers can pre-select seats when purchasing advance tickets at http://www.fandango.com/17522_movietimes?date=6%2F15%2F2017&mode=general&q=17522

Patrick Burns is a staff writer and social media editor for The Ephrata Review. He welcomes your questions and comments and can be reached at pburns.eph@lnpnews.com or at 721-4455.